An indicator lost: big disaster costs

Enlarge this image This restaurant that was destroyed by Hurricane Helene would have likely been counted in NOAA’s tabulation of economic damages. AP hide caption toggle caption AP This restaurant that was destroyed by Hurricane Helene would have likely been counted in NOAA’s tabulation of economic damages. AP The U.S. government has tallied the economic impact of major natural disasters going back to 1980. State and local governments used this data for budgeting and planning. But last month, the administration retired its Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters disaster database. Today on the show, we speak to Adam Smith, the architect of the program, on the work he did and what might be next. Related episodes:How much is a weather forecast worth? (Update) (Apple / Spotify)How ski resorts are (economically) adjusting to climate change (Apple / Spotify)For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Sponsor Message Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.